Silicone oil (SiO) adherence on intraocular lenses (IOL) is a well-known complication of vitreoretinal surgery. Remnants of SiO in the eye can form droplets, strongly adherent to the surface of the IOL, that cause visual acuity reduction and induction of high order refractive aberrations, monocular diplopia, glare and halos. Removal of such droplets is technically challenging due to the strong hydrophobic interaction between the oil and the lens. This complication is more frequent with hydrophobic IOLs, including silicone IOLs and polymethylmethacrylate IOLs.
Over the past years, several methods have been advocated to remove SiO from IOLs using solvents or viscoelastics. However, solvents may cause tissue toxicity, and viscoelastic compounds often result in inadequate removal. Currently, the surgical explantation and replacement of the IOL is the mainstay of treatment, but it is associated with increase in surgical time, complication rate, and cost.